UCLA leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau suffered a mild right knee strain during the Bruins' Big Ten tournament quarterfinal win over Michigan State but is expected to be available for the NCAA tournament. The senior forward was ruled out of UCLA's semifinal against Purdue after a noncontact injury when his leg buckled while defending in the post.

The injury occurred late in the first half when Bilodeau went down clutching his right knee and had to be helped off the court. He spent the second half on the sideline with his knee wrapped as UCLA coach Mick Cronin said it would take "literally a miracle" for him to play against Purdue. Despite the setback, the injury update provides a boost for UCLA, which is projected as a No. 7 seed in Joe Lunardi's latest bracket projection.

Bilodeau leads UCLA in scoring at 17.6 points per game and rebounding at 5.6 per game. His availability is crucial for the Bruins' tournament hopes, as he had shown optimism about his condition, telling reporters "I'm good" after the game. The team will need his scoring touch and veteran leadership if they hope to make a deep run in March Madness.